(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a spacing tool for use with air conveyors. In particular, the present invention relates to a spacing tool that can be used for calibrating the spacing between the guide rails of an air conveyor that transports plastic bottle containers along a conveying path defined by a pair of flanges and the guide rails.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Air conveyors are typically employed in the rapid transport of empty plastic bottle containers. FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of a typical prior art air conveyor apparatus. In FIG. 1, the air conveyor apparatus is indicated generally by the reference character C. The air conveyor apparatus C is shown with a plastic bottle container, indicated generally by the reference character B. The bottle container B is of the type having a narrow neck portion N, an annular rim or neck ring R around the neck portion N, and a body J below the neck portion N.
The air conveyor C includes a pair of flanges F that are spaced laterally from one another defining an elongate slot between the flanges. The spacing between the flanges F is sufficiently large to enable the neck portion N of the bottle container B just below the neck ring R to pass through the spacing with the bottle container suspended from upper surfaces U of the flanges F by the neck ring R engaging on the upper surfaces U. A series of air ducts D are positioned along the length of the conveyor C adjacent the flanges F. An air plenum of the air conveyor (not shown) supplies a flow of air to the air ducts D. The air ducts D are oriented so that air ejected from the ducts will contact the plastic bottle containers B, thereby pushing the bottle containers B along the pathway defined by the flanges F with the neck rings R of the bottle containers B sliding along the upper surfaces U of the spaced flanges F.
Preferably, such air conveyors transport a plurality of bottle containers in closely spaced succession and at a substantial speed. A typical air conveyor is constructed with both straight sections and curved sections in order to transport the succession of bottle containers from one area to another. Air conveyors often have guide rails for limiting the side-to-side movement of the bottle containers being conveyed. The air conveyor C shown in FIG. 1 includes guide rails G positioned below the flanges F on opposite sides of the conveying path defined by the flanges F. The guide rails G are spaced further apart from each other than are the flanges F to allow the width of a bottle container body J suspended from the flanges F to pass easily between the guide rails G. The guide rails G limit the side-to-side movement of the bottle containers B conveyed by the air conveyor C and thereby limit the extent to which the bodies J of the bottle containers can swing outwardly or transversely from the conveying path, e.g., when the air conveyor rounds a curve. Such guide rails help to avoid a bottle container neck or neck ring becoming jammed in the slot between the support flanges.
With a typical air conveyor being capable of transporting a large succession of plastic bottle containers at a considerable rate of speed, spacings between the support flanges and guide rails must be precise in order to ensure efficient operation. Thus, the spacings between the support flanges and guide rails must be calibrated precisely during initial assembly of the air conveyor apparatus, and must also be recalibrated periodically in order to maintain the proper spacing. In addition, the spacings of the support flanges and guide rails must be calibrated each time the conveyor is to be used to transport bottle containers of different dimensions.
Thus, a calibration tool is needed for setting and maintaining the proper spacing between the support flanges and guide rails of an air conveyor apparatus. It is desirable that the tool have a simple construction that allows it to be moved into position between the support flanges and/or guide rails at virtually any point along the length of the conveyor.
The spacing tool of the present invention can be employed with virtually any type of air conveyor system that conveys articles along a conveying path. In the operative environment of the invention to be described, the tool is used with an air conveyor that transports plastic bottle containers. The bottle containers are of a conventional type with each bottle having a narrow neck portion at its upper end, an annular rim or neck ring around the neck portion, and a body below the neck portion.
The air conveyor with which the spacing tool of the invention is described employs a pair of spaced flanges through which the neck and neck ring of the bottle container project. The neck ring rests on upper surfaces of the spaced flanges, thereby suspending the body of the bottle container below the flanges. The air conveyor includes a series of air ducts that direct a supply of air against the bottle containers causing the bottle containers to move along the length of the air conveyor with the neck ring of each bottle container sliding along the upper surfaces of the flanges. Air conveyors of this type are described in the Ouellette, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,437,521, issued Aug. 1, 1995, 5,611,647 issued Mar. 18, 1997, and 5,628,588, issued May 13, 1997, each of which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference.
Air conveyors typically include a framework that supports the conveyor. They also often include guide rails that are supported from the framework or suspended from the air conveyor in positions just below the conveying slot that is defined by the flanges. The guide rails typically extend along the length of the conveyor with a spacing between the guide rails that is centered below the spacing between the flanges. The spacing between the guide rails is slightly larger than the body of the bottle containers to be conveyed by the air conveyor. The guide rails limit the extent to which bottle containers conveyed by the air conveyor can rock side-to-side or transversely to their direction or path of conveyance.
In general, a spacing tool of the present invention is adapted for use with a conveyor of the type described above. The spacing tool comprises a spacing member having a head portion, a neck portion below the head portion, and a spacing block below the neck portion. The head portion has a first outer diameter dimension larger than the spacing between the flanges. The neck portion has a second outer diameter dimension smaller than the spacing between the flanges. Thus, the spacing member can be supported with the head portion in engagement with the upper surfaces of the flanges, with the neck portion between the flanges, and with the spacing block suspended below the flanges adjacent the guide rails. The spacing block has a third outer diameter dimension substantially equal to the outer diameter dimension of each container body (i.e., slightly larger than the container outer diameter dimension to allow for clearance of the containers between the guide rails) so that the spacing block can be used to calibrate the lateral spacing between the guide rails.
In another aspect of the invention, a spacing tool comprises a spacing member having a head portion and a neck portion below the head portion. The head portion has a cross-sectional configuration with a major lateral dimension and a minor lateral dimension. The minor lateral dimension of the head portion is smaller than the spacing between the flanges. Thus, the head portion is allowed to pass between the flanges when the spacing member is oriented so that the major lateral dimension is aligned with the pair of flanges and the minor lateral dimension of the head portion is transverse to or generally perpendicular to the flanges. The major lateral dimension of the head portion is larger than the spacing between the flanges. Thus, the spacing member can be supported with the neck portion between the flanges and with the head portion in engagement with the upper surfaces of the flanges when the spacing member is oriented so that the major lateral dimension is positioned transverse to or generally perpendicular to the pair of flanges and the minor lateral dimension of the head portion is aligned with the pair of flanges. The neck portion of the spacing member has an outer diameter dimension substantially equal to the outer diameter dimension of each container neck (i.e., slightly larger than the outer diameter dimension of each container neck to allow for clearance of the container necks between the flanges) so that the spacing member can be used to calibrate the lateral spacing between the flanges.
While the principal advantages and features of the present invention have been described above, a more complete and thorough understanding and appreciation for the invention may be attained by referring to the drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow.